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the close of a long and useful life he could say with truth； 〃I
never yet attempted to do an act of generosity or common justice；
publicly or privately； that I was not met by manifold
reciprocity。〃
By bringing the various classes of society into connection with
each other； Bianconi believed； and doubtless with truth； that he
was the means of making them respect each other； and that he
thereby promoted the civilisation of Ireland。 At the meeting of
the social Science Congress； held at Dublin in 1861； he said：
〃The state of the roads was such as to limit the rate of
travelling to about seven miles an hour； and the passengers were
often obliged to walk up hills。 Thus all classes were brought
together； and I have felt much pleasure in believing that the
intercourse thus created tended to inspire the higher classes
with respect and regard for the natural good qualities of the
humbler people； which the latter reciprocated by a becoming
deference and an anxiety to please and oblige。 Such a moral
benefit appears to me to be worthy of special notice and
congratulation。〃
Even when railways were introduced； Bianconi did not resist them；
but welcomed them as 〃the great civilisers of the age。〃 There
was； in his opinion； room enough for all methods of conveyance in
Ireland。 When Captain Thomas Drummond was appointed
Under…Secretary for Ireland in 1835； and afterwards chairman of
the Irish Railway Commission； he had often occasion to confer
with Mr。 Bianconi； who gave him every assistance。 Mr。 Drummond
conceived the greatest respect for Bianconi； and often asked him
how it was that he； a foreigner； should have acquired so
extensive an influence and so distinguished a position in
Ireland？
〃The question came upon me；〃 said Bianconi； 〃by surprise； and I
did not at the time answer it。 But another day he repeated his
question； and I replied； 'Well； it was because； while the big and
the little were fighting； I crept up between them； carried out my
enterprise； and obliged everybody。'〃 This； however； did not
satisfy Mr。 Drummond； who asked Bianconi to write down for him an
autobiography； containing the incidents of his early life down to
the period of his great Irish enterprise。 Bianconi proceeded to
do this； writing down his past history in the occasional
intervals which he could snatch from the immense business which
he still continued personally to superintend。 But before the
〃Drummond memoir〃 could be finished Mr。 Drummond himself had
ceased to live； having died in 1840； principally of overwork。
What he thought of Bianconi； however； has been preserved in his
Report of the Irish Railway Commission of 1838； written by Mr。
Drummond himself； in which he thus speaks of his enterprising
friend in starting and conducting the great Irish car
establishment：
〃With a capital little exceeding the expense of outfit he
commenced。 Fortune； or rather the due reward of industry and
integrity； favoured his first efforts。 He soon began to increase
the number of his cars and multiply routes； until his
establishment spread over the whole of Ireland。 These results
are the more striking and instructive as having been accomplished
in a district which has long been represented as the focus of
unreclaimed violence and barbarism； where neither life nor
property can be deemed secure。 Whilst many possessing a personal
interest in everything tending to improve or enrich the country
have been so misled or inconsiderate as to repel by exaggerated
statements British capital from their doors； this foreigner chose
Tipperary as the centre of his operations； wherein to embark all
the fruits of his industry in a traffic peculiarly exposed to the
power and even to the caprice of the peasantry。 The event has
shown that his confidence in their good sense was not
ill…grounded。
〃By a system of steady and just treatment he has obtained a
complete mastery； exempt from lawless intimidation or control；
over the various servants and agents employed by him； and his
establishment is popular with all classes on account of its
general usefulness and the fair liberal spirit of its management。
The success achieved by this spirited gentleman is the result；
not of a single speculation； which might have been favoured by
local circumstances； but of a series of distinct experiments； all
of which have been successful。〃
When the railways were actually made and opened； they ran right
through the centre of Bianconi's long…established systems of
communication。 They broke up his lines； and sent them to the
right and left。 But； though they greatly disturbed him； they did
not destroy him。 In his enterprising hands the railways merely
changed the direction of the cars。 He had at first to take about
a thousand horses off the road； with thirty…seven vehicles；
travelling 2446 miles daily。 But he remodelled his system so as
to run his cars between the railway…stations and the towns to the
right and left of the main lines。
He also directed his attention to those parts of Ireland which
had not before had the benefit of his conveyances。 And in thus
still continuing to accommodate the public； the number of his
horses and carriages again increased； until； in 1861； he was
employing 900 horses； travelling over 4000 miles daily； and in
1866； when he resigned his business； he was running only 684
miles daily below the maximum run in 1845； before the railways
had begun to interfere with his traffic。
His cars were then running to Dungarvan； Waterford； and Wexford
in the south…west of Ireland； to Bandon； Rosscarbery； Skibbereen；
and Cahirciveen； in the south； to Tralee； Galway； Clifden；
Westport； and Belmullet in the west； to Sligo； Enniskillen；
Strabane； and Letterkenny in the north； while； in the centre of
Ireland； the towns of Thurles； Kilkenny； Birr； and Ballinasloe
were also daily served by the cars of Bianconi。
At the meeting of the British Association； held in Dublin in
1857； Mr。 Bianconi mentioned a fact which； he thought；
illustrated the increasing prosperity of the country and the
progress of the people。 It was； that although the population had
so considerably decreased by emigration and other causes； the
proportion of travellers by his conveyances continued to
increase； demonstrating not only that the people had more money；
but that they appreciated the money value of time； and also the
advantages of the car system established for their accommodation。
Although railways must necessarily have done much to promote the
prosperity of Ireland； it is very doubtful whether the general
passenger public were not better served by the cars of Bianconi
than by the railways which superseded them。 Bianconi's cars were
on the whole cheaper； and were always run en correspondence； so
as to meet each other； whereas many of the railway trains in the
south of Ireland； under the competitive system existing between
the several companie